This fast-paced week is like a strange Pandora station that bounces from heavy metal to dubstep to country. Try to roll with the mood switches. Still reeling from last week’s difficult full moon—and slowly preparing for a new moon in Leo on July 23—we now find ourselves in garbage-dump mode. The sky says, “You have to clear junk from your basement to make room for that cool new drum kit.” Before introducing or launching anything new, we must first take out the trash inside ourselves: cruel communication styles, self-sabotage, crappy habits, and rotten relationship patterns we perpetuate. In addition to making self-adjustments this week, we’ll also be participating in ongoing back-and-forth negotiations with others. Expect lengthy e-mail threads and nonstop text alerts.
In this pre-eclipse zone, we’re doing the kind of deliberate self-evaluation represented by the Ace of Swords in Tarot, which tells us to take a wise pause to review how our past actions have led to where we are now, and use that knowledge to determine how to proceed. What automatic fears or familiar mistakes keep tripping you up? Evaluate and edit. The days ahead are laced with nervous worry, a Cancer trademark. You’re not the only one feeling uneasy! During this final full week of Cancer season, we’re all sorting through sticky issues of physical security and emotional safety. What’s more, our interactions with authority figures, bosses, or higher-ups could tug at very old strings that reach all the way back to our childhood roots. If we react intensely to an authority figure, we may really be responding to deeper dynamics.
CHOSEN FAMILY
Cancer is the sign of home and family. Yet we’re not always related to the people who nurture and support us best—we have chosen family too. This week there’s focus on childhood experiences and biological family, especially feelings of vulnerability, shame, and disapproval. You might also be evaluating your inner circle, determining who makes you feel secure and accepted or not. My favorite soap opera of all time, The O.C., is a story about chosen family. When Ryan Atwood—a streetwise high-schooler with a rough home life—lands in juvie, his own family abandons him. But his public defender, Sandy, welcomes Ryan into his family’s home in wealthy Orange County. Ryan lives in the pool house; they all learn to trust each other and create their own version of family. Chosen family is a deliberate safety net that nourishes and sustains us.
Caretaking and nurturing are highlighted concepts now, especially since an asteroid called Ceres (related to nutrition, food, and parenting) recently entered Cancer too. We’ll be thinking about the health of our home life: How do we nourish our bodies and hearts? Do we accept assistance from others? Do we absorb other people’s problems and swoop in to help, rather than allow them to learn their own lessons? Ryan Atwood’s biggest character flaw is that he constantly tries to rescue loved ones while jeopardizing his own safety. We’re not responsible for saving others. One tricky Cancer trait is the urge to over-support (too much water can kill a plant). Consider the patterns and reflexive responses you may have inherited to figure out what work is yours to do and what isn’t.
YOU CAN PLANET
An empathetic (but emotional) moon in Pisces on Wednesday the 12th interacts with Venus in a way that could cause disappointment or stir fears. Focus on creative endeavors—into Thursday the 13th too. which will feel a little more bubbly, good for bonding and get-togethers. On Friday the 14th, Mercury and Jupiter team up to give you the right words at the right time. Your communication can make a lasting impact today, so use this window. However, from Friday until Sunday you’ll feel pressed for time and pushed to move at a fast pace. An Aries moon on Saturday the 15th lets you say “This is what I want,” but could also bring power struggles and arguments. You can finally rest and recharge on Sunday the 16th and even begin new projects, but avoid squabbles that day. I’m sorry to say Monday the 17th has two difficult planetary aspects that put us at risk for both sadness and meanness. People will be impulsive and reckless while also grappling with feelings of disillusionment and sorrow. However, Tuesday the 18th will be a cool breeze after the firestorm. By then we can reach agreements, mend fences, and reconcile differences.
spacewitch@seattleweekly.com
